FRIES, VIRGINIA

We spent five nights in Fries, Virginia at the Fries New River Trail RV Park. We came here because I would be speaking at Fries Baptist Church. Fries is a very small town with a population of under 500. Its main street runs parallel to the New River, one of the oldest rivers in the world. One of the sections of the New River Trail Virginia State Park begins in Fries. It is a beautiful setting in the river valley surrounded by mountains. The town was settled around 1900 and was for many years was a mill town, owned by the local cotton mill. The town is carved out of the side of a mountain and every block is climbed a little higher on the mountain. The higher you climb in town the better the view of the river valley is.

Fries is part of the Virginia Music Heritage Trail. We were fortunate that we arrived on a Thursday because every Thursday about a dozen musicians gather at a theater in the Town Hall for jam sessions and townspeople dance the flat foot two-step. We enjoyed the bluegrass music and watching the people dance.

Less than an hour away is Mount Airy, North Carolina. This is the home of Andy Griffith. While it is referred to in the Andy Griffith show the show was set in the fictional town of Mayberry. However, in a tribute to their native son they have turned much of downtown into a tribute to the show. You can take a tour of the town inside a squad car just like the one in the show. I stepped into Floyd’s Barbershop to check out the town gossip. We visited the Courthouse and spent a short stint in the jail for jaywalking. We saw Wally’s Filling Station. We dined at Snappy Lunch which is said to have been Andy’s favorite lunch stop. We had their famous porkchop sandwich which is dressed with chili, slaw, lettuce, and tomato. It was quite good. The Andy Griffith Show is my all-time favorite and it was so much fun reminiscing in Mount Airy.

On the return trip to Fries, we drove a section of the Blue Ridge Parkway. This beautiful National Highway is just a few minutes from Fries. The Appalachian trail also is just a short distance from Fries.

The Fries Baptist Church has been serving the Lord and the people of Fries almost from the beginning. It is a congregation of welcoming and caring folks. If you are there on a Sunday, I highly recommend you visit them. They will certainly welcome you.

We enjoyed our stay at the Fries New River Trail RV Park. It is in a beautiful setting nestled between two hills right in Fries, VA. Not more than 200 yards from the New River Trail Virginia State Park and within an easy walk to the New River. The park is very clean and well kept. Sites are gravel and level. They are full hookup, 30 and 50 amp. Each site has a roomy living area with a picnic table. Running through the park is a nice stream and you can hear it trickling by your site. The shower house is quite nice and very clean with plenty of hot water. Tom, the owner couldn’t be nicer or more helpful. The WIFI is remarkable for RV park standards. We easily streamed videos and did whatever we needed on our laptops.

The road into Fries is a bit challenging due to the mountainous terrain. But we had no problem negotiating the hills and curves with Chance. But the drive is beautiful and the destination is well worth it. If you are ever in the area spend a few days in Fries. You’ll be glad you did.